Bowen brace for West Ham sinks Everton in relegation scrap

Jarrod Bowen scored twice as West Ham United beat fellow strugglers Everton 2-0 at the London Stadium on Saturday, taking all three points in a match billed as a “must-win” for both teams.

The defeat – Everton’s sixth in their last seven league games – will add to the pressure on manager Frank Lampard, while for West Ham boss David Moyes victory will be sweet relief after his side took just one point from the last 21 available.

Bowen scored his goals in a seven-minute first half spell, first netting from close range after Emerson Palmieri’s cross was flicked into his path. He was set up for his second by good work on the right wing by Michail Antonio, whose cross was timed perfectly for the incoming forward.

Everton went close late in the half when Alex Iwobi’s goal-bound effort was deflected onto the woodwork by Declan Rice, and they were much improved in the second half but could not find a way back into the game.

It is more misery for Everton fans, who had a sit-in protest at Goodison Park last weekend following defeat to Southampton, calling for the club’s board to be sacked. Those calls will likely grow louder in the coming days.

West Ham are next in action in the FA Cup fourth round when they travel to Derby County on Jan. 30, while Everton host leaders Arsenal in the Premier League on Feb. 4.

Late Surridge goal gives Forest 1-1 draw at Bournemouth
Nottingham Forest’s Sam Surridge fired a late equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday as the south-coast team dropped into the relegation zone despite ending a four-match losing run in the Premier League.

Gary O’Neil’s team dropped one place to 18th on 17 points after 20 games, while Forest remained 13th on 21 points.

Forest started strongly but Bournemouth struck first through Jaidon Anthony after winger Dango Ouattara set up the goal in the 28th minute with a bit of brilliance on his league debut.

Ouattara, signed from Lorient earlier this week, shook off a couple of defenders on the right wing before squaring the ball to Anthony, who steered a low shot past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to net Bournemouth’s first league goal since November.

Forest continued to threaten after the break and their pressure finally paid off in the 83rd minute when Surridge slid in at the far post to meet a Brennan Johnson cross and score against his former team.

The draw takes Forest’s unbeaten run to four league games.

Teen Ferguson scores late for Brighton in 2-2 draw with Leicester
Teenage striker Evan Ferguson came to the rescue for Brighton & Hove Albion by netting a late equaliser to give his side a 2-2 draw against Leicester City in a pulsating Premier League clash on Saturday.

Japanese midfielder Kaoru Mitoma broke the deadlock for Brighton in the 27th minute with the kind of goal that is fast becoming his trademark, cutting in from the left and unleashing an unstoppable right-foot shot into the top corner.

After Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans had shots blocked, struggling Leicester finally drew level when Marc Albrighton made the most of their best attack of the first half, rifling the ball into the net eight minutes before the break.

A bad miss by Brighton’s Solly March was punished in the 63rd minute as Barnes blasted home a corner at the far post to put Leicester 2-1 up and on course for a victory after four straight league defeats.

However, Irish 18-year-old Ferguson, who came on for Danny Welbeck in the 66th minute, had other ideas, heading home in the 88th minute to grab a share of the points for the Seagulls.

The result leaves Brighton in sixth spot in the table on 31 points, two behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and seven behind Newcastle United in fourth. Leicester are 14th on 18 points.

Saints stay bottom after 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa
Southampton suffered a blow in their bid to avoid Premier League relegation as they went down 1-0 at home to Aston Villa in a match disrupted by a rogue drone on Saturday.

Ollie Watkins struck Villa’s winner in the 77th minute off a free kick by Douglas Luiz shortly after Saints had been controversially denied the opening goal by VAR.

The home crowd had erupted when Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse’s deflected effort found the net in the 63rd minute but their joy was cut short with substitute Mohamed Elyounoussi deemed to have fouled Jacob Ramsey in the box.

Moussa Djenepo came close to a late equaliser but Villa held on for a third successive away league win as their resurgence under new manager Unai Emery continued.

Southampton, who could have escaped the drop zone with a victory, remain bottom with 15 points from 20 games. Villa stay 11th on 28 points.